Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-01-02
WINDOW DRESSING.
The Tasteful Arrangement Of Merchandise a
Fine Art.
SALARIES COMMANDED BY CLERKS
Who are Gifted in the Matter Of Harmonious
Effects.
A DRY GOODS DEALERS REMARKS.

To the great JOY of unnumbered millions
of women and to the confusion of like
number OF men was the Bazaar originated
| The French and the VienncSe retain tn,
name but not, by any means, the simplicity
of the institution. In England 1t Is called
"Shop" while, we in America, especially
of the stcrner sex, have learned TO look NJ
to bazaars with feelings of awe and respect
and discreetly mention them to gentlel
members OF our household rs retail dry
goods stores"
The romancist has pitched upon Tho
counting room as the locale of the motive
of his fiction, has ransacked dusty lcdSers,
poked about in dusty corners, and utilized
! the false foOtings of an embezzling cashier
or the double life OF some rake Off Junior
for the tragical elements of his plot But
| i'm the romance of trade, the show window
| finds itself the scene of innocent comedy
| About it at odd times will be found fash
| ionable temininity critically scanning liz
contents with the experienced eye OF one
! familiar with the art of shopping, garru-
| lous old aye that has never forgotten the
tricks of its youthful tradin,' young eyes
and faces in culver Of excitement and
beaming with childish desire and antici.
pations, wealth indolently pursuing a
| bauble for the indulgence Of the fancy OF
a moment and the poor anxious to drive y
bargain.
Frequenters of our streets during the few
weeks preceding Christmas have enjoyed
the numerous beautiful displays almost
universally made in the show windows of
our merchants. Some Of these exhibitions
have OccasOned the most complimentary
comment on the skill displayed in their
arrangement and attracted admiring crowds
of holiday sight-seers. All classes Of trade
have been represented by these exhibits
and continued promenade along the prln-
cipal streets of Wheeling is in point OF fur
nlshing interesting information TO the close
observer as prolific Us visit to great cN-
position wherein are gathered beneath the
same roof samples of the worlds industry.
After the scrutiny of Il number of show
windows Of the better class one may form
some idea of the amount of labor and Clcv-
erncsS involved in decorating them and is
likely to believe that the art of window
dressing is a profession cultivated to 4 de-
gree OF more or less excellence by large
number of drCSSers in this city. \ rcpOr-
ter desiring further information on this
subject asked a prominent retail merchant
yesterday if show windows had not grown
to he a necessity to the trade.
certainly. sir" was the reply, IAN
absolute necessity; in fact, almost rs neccs-
sary as press advertising. Retail stores
are low assigned to give their occupants
as much window display rs possible and ar
chitcctural beauty is sacrificed To utility
And the art of dressing thcm:'
is considered by Us, the dry goods
men, a high art. You will find the sue
cessful window dresser with ScnSibilltieS
as alive in the influences Of the beautiful
as an artist in stone or oils. He must DC
an encyclopedia Of miscellaneous intorma-
ton bearing upon the subject of woman's
adornmcnt. He must Ice familiar with the
latest fashion craze, the newest fabrics aud
most popular Colors and understand how
to attract the attention Of all CLASSES of
shoppers by catering to the tastes OF each.
Again, he is clever IN the construction OF
forms and his nice sense Of color enables
him to blend shades tremendously and to
produce the happlest effects. Take the sun
burst, for instance, form OF window
dressing never attempted save 10y the most
skilliul of artists. \ number or bolts OF
satin of different colors, shadcH and hueS
are arranged in the shape Of m open fan
to represent the sun IT, hc rises Respondent
above the eastern horizon. The lines OF
contact where the different shades o! color
meet, meet and fade away lntOau harmon'
Gus whole. When properly done the c!-
feet PRODUCED by the sun-bu:St is wonder
fully pleasing and attractive. The accom-
plshmcnts nave mentioned are peculiar
to window drcsscrs in the dry goods trade. y
"What is the pay Of n window dresser
of the best class
Their salaries here in Wheeling, range
from fifteen to twenty We dollars per week,
but they are expected to perform other
duties in connection with the ornalnenta-
ton of windows. In larger cities the pay
is much greater, some artists commanding
very fancy figures.